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Resident urges moratorium on data-center incentives as state studies impacts
Summary
During public comment, resident Barb Nice urged the council to support a moratorium on data-center tax exemptions while a state commission studies environmental, grid, water and fiscal impacts; city staff said the planning commission is examining zoning classifications and warned local moratoria can be time-limited or preempted.
During citizen concerns on June 2, Barb Nice asked the Defiance City Council to consider a moratorium on data-center tax exemptions and other incentives until the state study and commission complete public hearings and issue recommendations.
"Ohio Governor Mike DeWine announced last Wednesday he directed the chair of the Ohio Tax Credit Authority to pause consideration of any new data center tax exemption request while the General Assembly joint data center committee studies the growth of data centers in Ohio," Nice told council, and she cited state hearings and bills she said the resident had reviewed. She added a fiscal figure: "Last year Ohio lost $1.6 billion dollar in tax give back 2025," and argued that local governments should not rush approvals while the commission studies environmental, water, noise and grid impacts.
City staff and council members responded that the planning commission is already reviewing zoning classifications for such land uses and that a local moratorium has limitations. A staff speaker explained moratoria can expire and cautioned that state action could preempt some local measures depending on the commission’s findings. Council requested Nice leave her materials with staff so they could be added to the record.
No council action was taken on a moratorium at the meeting. Council members urged residents to provide materials to staff for distribution to council and said they will monitor the state commission’s public hearings and any changes to state policy.
The meeting closed without votes on moratoriums; council adjourned to its next scheduled session.
